Furman Percussion Ensemble in concert April 8

The Furman Percussion Ensemble will present a concert Saturday, April 8, at 8 p.m. in Daniel Recital Hall on the Furman University campus.

Directed by Furman Music Professor Omar Carmenates and featuring guest composer Adam Silverman, the concert is open to the public. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students, and are available at the door.

In addition to the world premiere performance of a new version of Silverman’s The Cruel Waters, the program is comprised entirely of 21st-century works by composers including Bill Alves, Steven Snowden, David Molk, Thad Anderson, and Evan Monroe Chapman. The hour-long concert will draw from a wide-range of genres including EDM (electronic dance music), Balinese Gamelan, was well other modern chamber music styles.

The Furman Percussion Ensemble includes Nicholas Bruce, Joseph Cary, Andrew Corzine, Emma Gierszal, Tyler King, Justin Lamb, Mary Lindsey, David Lord, Austen Pruner, Sam Sherer, Sean Simmons, and Colin Smith.

Under the direction of Carmenates, the Furman University Percussion Ensemble performs a wide variety of literature while also dedicating itself to the commissioning and performing of new chamber works from both established and up-and-coming composers.

As part of a long-standing collaboration with Furman’s David E. Shi Center for Sustainability, the ensemble also has become known for its performances and recordings of ecoacoustic music, which promotes Furman’s standing as one of the nation’s academic leaders in sustainability. Recent projects in this vein include the co-commissioning and performing of the United States premiere of John Luther Adams’ Inuksuit for 9-99 outdoor percussionists, and an upcoming recording release of Matthew Burtner’s Six Ecoacoustic Quintets.

Carmenates holds a doctorate in music from Florida State University, a master’s in percussion performance from the University of North Texas, and a bachelor’s in music education from the University of Central Florida.

For more information about the event, contact the Furman University Music Department at 864-294-2086, or email the department at FurmanMusic@furman.edu.